Coming Home
by Tvist
Summary: It's in the middle of the night when the call she's waited and hoped for comes. The last few years she never thought it would happen. She'd given up hope and found a way to go on, one day at a time. Edited: this has turned into a series of tags to different episodes.
1. Chapter 1

AN: just a short piece. Sort of a tie in to the pilot episode. Oliver and Moira are very intriguing characters to me so I had to put something down on paper.

**Coming Home**

It's the middle of the night when the call she's waited and hoped for comes. The last few years she never thought it would happen. She'd given up hope and found a way to go on, one day at a time.

The voice on the other end tells her they have a lead on her son. A man has been found by fishermen on an island in the North China Sea. He claims to be Oliver Queen.

Moira doesn't believe it at first. She hangs up the phone, decides to not wake up the rest of the house. God knows they've finally found some way to move on from the tragedy she doesn't want drag up old feelings and pain.

Walter asks her who it was. Wrong number, she says as she tries to calm down enough to get back to sleep. She's become good at keeping secrets.

*A*

Next day there's a detective from the SCPD at the door asking for her. Thea has left for school and Walter is already at the office.

It's been confirmed. Oliver is alive. They don't have any details yet, but he's being checked out at a local hospital and the American Embassy in Beijing has personnel arranging transport home.

Finally Moira feels hope. Her son might be alive. Until she sees him she won't believe it.

The wait is nerve wracking and the whole house is in upheaval. Thea has been quieter than usual trying to come to terms with her brother being alive but at the same time her father definitely being gone.

Moira keeps busy organizing Oliver's return, making everyone who needs to know in on the secret. Until he's back the officials have promised to keep it out of the media. There will be enough turmoil in their lives without journalists trying to get a story.

Walter is worried, offers to move out so that Oliver won't have to know that they've married. Moira won't hear of it. Walter is her rock, he's been there to support her through everything, and she still needs him.

*A*

Dr. Lam wants her to come alone to see Oliver that first night. He warns her that Oliver might not be the son that left her. The scars and his silence tell a story of their own. She can barely hear anything of what the doctor tells her as she watches her son stand with his back to the door. It suddenly becomes real, not just a dream. He's there. She knows he's changed as he hugs her, feels it in his stiff back and in no words but a whispered "mom".

Moira doesn't press him for details of where he's been or what he's gone through. She's just so happy to have her son back that she almost forgets the five years in between and that Oliver needs to be introduced back to the world gradually. Dr. Lam wants to keep Oliver overnight. He needs rest and hasn't slept much. They slip Oliver a pill to help him relax as Moira keeps watch.

He finally succumbs to sleep lying on his side, his back to the window, while Moira watches him breathe. She's marveling in the sight of her only son alive! The memory of Robert stings in her heart. It's all so bittersweet.

*A*

Walter calls the next day. He's taking the day off to bring them home. Thea is nervous and anxious to see her brother but they don't want to overwhelm Oliver so she waits at the mansion.

Dr. Lam gives his last instructions about food, rest and names of therapists they can contact as they should expect problems adjusting back to normal life. They still don't know much about Oliver's five years away as no one thinks it's a good idea to push him to talk. Lam seems to think he will open up at some point.

The biggest change is the silence. Oliver was never the quiet one. He was vibrant and fun, the center of attention at every party. Now he listens before he speaks, and he seems to weigh his words and use as few of them as possible.

They all freeze as Thea blurts out her question about what it was like on the island. Oliver's answer reveals nothing. But when Moira and Walter hear his nightmare later that night they know there's so much more to the story. Her back and neck hurts for a week after trying to wake him.

*A*

Moira is so preoccupied with her son being back that she forgets all about Malcolm and his plans. It takes a few hours after he's home and her phone rings. Merlin demands a meeting. Oliver might know too much. She does what she thinks is right to protect her son. Even if it hurts him it needs to be done.

Tbc

AN2: English isn't my first language and this is not beta read so I'm sorry for any mistakes.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I thought I was done with this but here's another tag to episode 2 of season 1. Not beta read so all mistakes are mine and English is still not my first language so be kind:-)

**Chapter 2**

Oliver never thought it would be difficult to come home. It was what had kept him alive and going for five years but now he feels like he doesn't fit in anymore. He feels misplaced and strange in this world where there's all the food he can eat, a roof over his head, beds with pillows and clothes to keep the cold out. And most important; de doesn't have to fear for his life all the time. He even has a body-guard following him around. Diggle seems like a good guy and Oliver feels guilty for ditching him multiple times.

He finds it difficult to adjust. There's too much noise, too many people and it makes him edgy. The first night home he almost kills his mom. After that he has trouble sleeping, afraid of what he might do if anyone tries to wake him. Not that his sleep quality was good on the island, but the nightmares are intrusive and leaves him breathless and shaking most nights.

Dr. Lam had mentioned that Oliver might have some difficulty coming back to regular life and a normal society. Oliver hadn't told him anything about the torture or what he'd experienced but his body probably told a lot of it to a trained eye. The good doctor was careful and respectful of Oliver's silence and just told him to take his time adjusting back into his old life.

*A*

Going to the court-house to be officially resurrected is the first time it happens.

The mob of journalists are crowding him, asking questions, when reality suddenly slips and he's back on the Gambit for a second just as everything goes wrong.

He can hear Sarah's scream and at the same time he knows that he's in Starling City five years later.

There's a cold sweat forming on his back and his hands are shaking as he sits down in the court room with his family, sans Thea, on the first row.

He's not sure how he's going to get through telling the judge what happened, but somehow he makes it. His mother looks worried as he begs off going to the office. Laurel on the other hand is angrier than he anticipated then again it's for the best as she's safer away from him.

*A*

Thea is disappointed. She's been dreaming of having her brother back and now that he's here it's nothing like what she expected. Oliver is distant and quiet most of the time. He's not like the brother who left her.

She knows about the scars but just in theory. Moira had told her about them when she called from the hospital that first night. Oliver had finally fallen asleep and Moira wanted to warn them that Oliver was ok but to be prepared that he's different.

Seeing the scars for herself she realizes that she doesn't know her brother at all anymore. His impassive features and averted eyes hurt her. He used to be a warm and full of life big brother but now he shut her out completely.

It hurts her that he won't open up to her, but the evidence of what he's been through worries her. He needs to talk to someone.

*A*

Diggle is intrigued and slightly pissed off. Oliver Queen is not as shallow as he wants everyone to believe. Torn between his sympathy for a man who's trying to get back to his life and his anger at him for constantly trying to ditch him is confusing him. There's something about Oliver that makes Diggle want to help him.

He sees a crack in Oliver's façade for the first time at the court-house and again in Walter Steels office. But it's when Oliver throws a kitchen knife across a room with expert accuracy he's convinced that there's so much more to this man than what everyone sees. Diggle feel a strange obligation to try to guide his protégé on how to come home as well as to protect him.

Tbc?


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Tag to episode 9 season 1. Hope you like it even if it's a bit dark/angsty;-)

**Chapter 3**

The first night is spent in a drug induced haze. After his ill-advised escape from bed to look out his hospital room window his nurse for the night and Diggle gets him to lay down again just past midnight.

Oliver welcomes the pain because it distracts his mind. He tries to fake sleep but it doesn't work so he's loaded up with morphine by a well-meaning nurse. Breathing becomes less painful and he sleeps in fits and starts. He wakes up from dreams he doesn't remember but can still smell and taste. Like the bitterness of adrenaline and the smell of a forest floor.

The medication makes his walls crumble and he feels like he's losing control of his mind. The demons are coming out and he can't stop them from rearing their ugly heads one at a time.

When morning comes he refuses any kind of pain relief and insists on leaving. Moira is skeptical, but distracted by Walter's disappearance, while Diggle just looks at him like he can see right through Oliver's bullshit insisting that he's perfectly fine.

Getting down to the car is no problem as a wheelchair is provided but getting into the car and the drive home is cruel. Oliver does what he's done best the last couple of years… suffer in silence and ignore his discomfort.

Thea feels guilty as she sees her brothers pale face and his slow deliberate moves up the stairs. Diggle seems to know how to handle Oliver better than his family right now so they let him.

She tries to help by bringing food and extra pillows but with Walter gone Moira needs her as well so it's easy to forget that Oliver is even there. He's like a ghost who haunts the house at night and during the day he's there but not really. It becomes even more clear to Thea that her brother has changed a lot in the five years he's been gone.

She gets a glimpse of his old and new scars as she walks in on him trying to put on a t-shirt early one morning. Lifting his arms still hurts him so she tries to help him as best she can.

"I wish you would talk to me", she whispers as he looks away from her. His eyes are red and she knows he's struggling with sleep.

"I'm ok Thea. Don't worry, I've had worse". He gives her a sad smile as she turns away from her.

"That's what worries me Oliver".

Thea walks over and kisses his cheek before leaving him alone again. She wants to fix him so that he can help her take care of her mom, help to find out what happened to Walter. Her family is falling apart, again.

Diggle is keeping a close eye on Oliver. Moira is distracted by Walter's disappearance and doesn't seem to notice what is going on with her only son.

The pale face and vacant stare tells him all he needs to know about how Oliver is coping. Diggle has seen this before in fellow soldiers coming home from experiences that they cannot forget. While hurt and vulnerable it gets more obvious that Oliver has his demons that he usually manages to keep in check.

After a week of recuperating at home Oliver is getting antsy and need to get out of the house. Diggle takes him to the foundry where Oliver slowly seems to come back to life. They take regular trips there and he lets Oliver start training again after dr. Lam clears him. Oliver's lost both muscle and weight so it's a struggle for him in the beginning.

Oliver's determination and willpower impresses Diggle, and it seems like Oliver is slowly coming back to life again.

AN: not sure if I'll add more to this. Let me know if you'd like more:-)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Oliver looked pale and haggard. Diggle didn't like what he saw so he planned on scheduling some downtime for Oliver instead of the sparring session Oliver was expecting. Since being shot by his mother Oliver had looked a bit off. Some of it was the fact that he'd been shot, lost a good amount of blood and had what Diggle suspected was a low grade infection. The other fact was that Moira was still a puzzle to be solved even if Oliver didn't want to see the truth.

After the obligatory breakfast and coffee with his mother Oliver was ready to leave for "work". Getting up from tying his shoes he wavered on his feet so much so that Diggle had to take a hold of his arm and steady him.

"Whoa, Oliver…you ok?" Diggle asked as he could see pearls of sweat forming on Oliver's brow. What little color he'd had before was completely gone and he was white as a sheet.

"Uh…just…dizzy," Oliver managed to get out before his eyes rolled back in his head and his knees buckled.

It was a testament to Diggle's strength and reflexes that Oliver didn't hit his head on his way down to the floor. Instead he was lowered down as Diggle managed to get a good grip on him before he fell.

"Oliver…hey. Oliver wake up!" Diggle could see that Oliver was breathing but he'd lost consciousness for some reason.

As Diggle was placing Oliver over on his side in the recovery position he seemed to regain consciousness. Oliver's eyelids were fluttering and his arms were moving.

"Oliver, take it easy…you're ok, just relax," Diggle said with a hand on Oliver's back, afraid he would come back fighting.

"Uhn…Dig?" Oliver's eyes opened and he looked around in confusion. "What happened?"

"You fainted. That's what happened. I'm taking you to the hospital; you need to get checked out properly."

Oliver got up to sit on the floor and Diggle could see a protest on its way but Oliver didn't seem to have the energy to get it out. Thankful both Thea and Moira had left the house Diggle managed to get Oliver up on his feet and out to the car.

**A**

Oliver felt like sleeping. His head hurt and his joints felt like they were filled with ground glass when he moved. The dizziness was annoying but manageable as long as he didn't move too fast.

Dr. Lamb had been the Queen family's doctor for years and he trusted his discretion but Oliver didn't want to explain why he had a bullet wound that hadn't been treated at a hospital. He didn't have the energy to come up with a plausible explanation. Hopefully Diggle would think of something.

Diggle kept a firm arm around Oliver's shoulder as they made their way from the car to the emergency room. Having called ahead they were expected so Oliver got to lie down on a gurney in a private room as he waited to be seen by Lamb. The nurse had recorded his vitals and made him take off his shirt and change into a gown. Too tired to keep his eyes open Oliver had fallen asleep as Diggle found a chair in the corner to keep watch.

Lamb showed up and wanted Oliver admitted to hospital when he saw the bullet wound and the state Oliver was in. Diggle took charge and made Lam promise to be discreet about it and to let Oliver go home with a prescription for antibiotics and a promise to come back for another checkup in two days.

After having his blood dawn Oliver was released into Diggle's care with a promise to come back if he felt worse. Lamb just shook his head as they left obviously not happy with his patient's decision.

**A**

Moira was worried about her son. Oliver looked pale and drawn. She hadn't seen him much lately. He seemed to keep to himself most of the time, spending most of his time at the club.

After the incident with the vigilante Moira had extra security with her at all times and she was happy that Diggle seemed to get along better with her son then in the beginning. It looked like Oliver had confided in his bodyguard and Moira was happy because he needed someone.

When Oliver showed up pale as a ghost to breakfast she wowed to try and have a word with him that evening about seeing Dr. Lam for a checkup. Maybe there was some lingering aftereffect of spending 5 years in grueling conditions on an island with little nutritious food and exposed to the elements that was ailing her son.

Getting home that evening the mansion was quiet with Thea out with friends. The car was in the driveway so she guessed that Oliver was already home. Heading for Oliver's room she found Diggle closing the door having just left the room.

"Mr. Diggle? Is everything all right?" She noticed the empty glass in Diggle's hand along with a plate with a half-eaten sandwich.

"Uh...yes ma'am. Oliver's just a bit under the weather with an infection I'm afraid so he went to bed early." Diggle spoke in a low voice as if he didn't want to disturb Oliver even if the door was closed.

"Oh…I thought he looked a bit pale this morning. We need to get him checked out. I'll give Dr. Lam a call," Moira felt her heart start to beat faster. She was still worried about losing Oliver again after getting him back against all odds.

"He saw Dr. Lam earlier today at the hospital and he's on a course of antibiotics so no need to call anyone." Diggle smiled at her as he reassured her.

"Oh…that's good. I'll just look in and see how he's doing before dinner. He didn't eat much did he?" Moira said as she gestured at the plate in Diggle's hand.

"He wasn't really hungry," Diggle said as he continued down the hall while Moira knocked on Oliver's door. She'd learned early on not to startle her son as he slept.

**A**

"Oliver? You awake?" Moira made her way over to her sons bed. Hopefully his days of sleeping on the floor were over. She could see a lump under the covers that resembled her sons form.

"Oliver? Wake up…" Moira moved to sit down on the side of the bed as her hand touched her sons back.

Oliver startled his body tensed and she could feel that he was warm while his exposed right arm was covered in goose bumps. Laying on his side with his back to her she couldn't see his face but his neck looked flushed with fever.

"Why didn't you tell me you were ill this morning? You can talk to me Oliver, and tell me these things…please."

Oliver turned around on his back as he covered himself to his neck with the sheet. He gave her a wan smile as he shrugged his right shoulder.

"I didn't know mom, I'm sorry…Started feeling a bit warm and then Diggle insisted on me seeing Dr. Lamb." Oliver's voice was low and hoarse. She could tell that it wasn't the whole story but that was the norm with Oliver these days. He was always hiding something.

"Well thank god for Mr. Diggle then because you don't look so good. Get some more rest and I'll look in on you later and have some dinner brought up here. Ok?" Moira touched Oliver's cheek, kissed his forehead before leaving the room. Oliver turned back on his side almost immediately falling asleep.

AN: thanks for reading:-) I believe this is it from me for a while. Let season 2 begin!


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